Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and separated from his wife and kids for 27 years, and many people wondered how and why he did not have any animosity towards his oppressors and a corrupt system. Mandela faced discrimination, oppression, and poverty, but he never displayed the bitterness he felt from those tribulations he encountered in life. He did in fact, have anger and bitterness inside of him but never showed that side of him to the public. In his eyes, appearances did matter, especially for an influential leader such as himself. In the public eye, Mandela was able to conceal his bitterness simply with a smile that showed the people of South Africa that he was a forgiving man who was able to persevere despite being oppressed. In addition, he wore exuberant print shirts because he wanted to be portrayed as a man of flesh and blood who had flaws just like those of the common man. Nelson Mandela was never able to “forget the past”, but by presenting an image of a humble oppressed man who became stronger, he was able to inspire the people of South Africa and eventually became President of South Africa in 1994.
Rule number 6 (Appearances matter-and remember to smile) most definitely applies to me because I always smile and project positive emotions when in public. When I leave my house every morning, I leave any difficulties that I am going through at the front door and view the current day with a positive outlook. I truly believe that in order to move forward from hardships that I face, I must conceal them and use them as a way to become a stronger and better leader. In addition, if I were to let anger and other negative emotions weigh me down, I would be projecting a negative image of myself to my friends and peers. This was why Nelson Mandela was able to use his smile as a symbol of his forgiveness and ability to fight through tribulations. One’s image, especially that of a leader, has a profound impact on the way that person is viewed in society. A leader is looked up to and serves as an inspiration to many people. Projecting a positive image is one aspect of being a leader and it is something that I have done and will continue to do throughout life as I interact with my peers, colleagues, and friends.
